The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) is proud to highlight its continued commitments to innovation and growth in the soybean industry by releasing its 2023 Annual Report. With bold investments at both the state and international level in 2023, MSR&PC continues to blaze trails and make significant strides in advancing soybean research and education.
“In our industry, bold investments happen when a diverse board appreciates the true purpose of soy checkoff funding. Our state’s soybean farmers are truly blessed to have a bold Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council that thinks outside the box,” Council CEO Tom Slunecka said. “Whether we’re creating new processing opportunities through the Ag Innovation Campus, reducing processing costs or enhancing animal agriculture, the Council has proven countless times that to go big, you better be bold every step of the way.”
In 2023, the checkoff made advances in new export markets, supporting 25 projects to break barriers, develop international relations and continue bringing Minnesota-origin soybeans to ports across the world. An ongoing partnership with the U.S. Meat Export Federation also had the U.S. seeing record pork exports to countries worldwide.
International relations were also top of mind during the completion of construction of the Ag Innovation Campus, which, at full capacity, will serve as part specialty crush facility, part research lab and office space and part educational facility.
Fiscal year 2023 also saw investments in technology. The checkoff developed two augmented reality farmers to showcase how today’s bold checkoff investments will have a lasting impact on tomorrow’s soybean farmers. The augmented reality tool was utilized at several events, social media, print publications and more. The bold innovations didn’t stop there. The checkoff also funded a variety of soybean meal projects in 2023, including soy 3D edible printing ink, soybean meal horticultural fertilizer and biodegradable plastic made from soybean hulls.
In 2024, the Council is building off those bold checkoff projects – including a returned trade mission to Uzbekistan in March 2024, investments in agronomic research and a new “Behind the Dollar” checkoff awareness campaign that debuts in May.
For a closer look at the ways MSR&PC took bold strides in 2023, you can find the full Minnesota Soybean 2023 Annual Report here: https://issuu.com/mnsoygrowers/docs/mn_annual_report_24_web
